Source · Select Committees · Business and Trade Committee
Tenth Report - Post-pandemic economic growth: UK labour markets
Business and Trade Committee
HC 306
Published 21 April 2023
Recommendations
22
Acknowledged
Para 135
Establish mechanisms to detect threats to home workers from unreasonable employer expectations
Recommendation
We are not wholly persuaded that there is currently a need for immediate action to establish a statutory “right to disconnect”. But the Government should ensure that mechanisms and processes are in place to detect any significant threat to home …
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Government Response Summary
The government recognizes concerns about the blurring of boundaries between work and home, notes employer responsibilities, and will continue to monitor international approaches without introducing a statutory ‘right to disconnect’.
Department for Business and Trade
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41
Acknowledged
Returnerships offer valuable opportunities for workers of all ages requiring future evaluation.
Recommendation
We consider that such a process could be valuable for workers of all ages and that a review is conducted one year following implementation of returnships to evaluate their benefit more widely. (Paragraph 215) 72 Post-pandemic economic growth: UK labour …
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Government Response Summary
The government states it is promoting returnership pathways through various campaigns and Jobcentre Plus, and will continue to monitor the uptake of apprenticeships and related programmes, but does not explicitly commit to conducting a formal review of returnships one year after implementation.
Department for Business and Trade
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Conclusions (3)
2
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Para 27
We note that dedicated support is needed to help business owners and leaders understand what technologies are available, how they might be best used within their businesses and how to integrate those technologies and train workers to use them.
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the benefits and risks of new technologies in the workplace and details existing and forthcoming regulatory frameworks, such as the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill and its AI white paper, which aim to provide safeguards. However, it does not commit to specific actions to provide the 'dedicated support' for business owners to understand and integrate new technologies that the committee noted was needed.
9
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Para 81
Policy responsibility within Government for the governance of artificial technology has passed to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. We note that the Science and Technology Committee is in the midst of an inquiry into the governance of artificial intelligence. We therefore draw to the attention of that Committee …
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the policy responsibility transfer and draws the Committee's evidence to the attention of the Science and Technology Committee.
37
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Para 205
We note that pensions reform may be a requirement and draw this, and our broader observations and recommendations, to the attention of the Work and Pensions Committee, which has responsibility for scrutiny of the Department for Work and Pensions.
Government Response Summary
The Government notes the recommendation.